It’s a beautiful, sunny Spring day at the Kamalani Residence; the sun is shining, there’s a cool breeze coming through the window, and everyone is outside of their houses for the first time since the cold winter. A 28-year-old man, Milo, comes out of his bedroom in nothing but his boxers. His dreadlocks are tied back into a bun and his glasses are on because, well, fuck contacts for the day.
Milo: No kids today, no wife today, just me, myself and I.
Milo walks into the kitchen and grabs all the snacks he possibly can in two hands. Once he leaves the kitchen area to go into the living room, the front door is being banged on.
Milo: And there goes my afternoon.
He puts the snacks back on the kitchen counter and runs to his bedroom to grab a pair of pants. The door is still being banged on continuously, and Milo comes out of the room, hopping into his sweatpants, yelling, “Be right there!”
Once he has his pants on, he opens the door to see that his sister-in-law, 24-year-old with curly brown hair, Maryette is standing there, in a panic.
Milo: Moose, hey – are you okay?
Moose is the nickname Maryette got when she played soccer as a kid. With her dark brown hair and strength, she was deemed as “Moose.” It’s been a nickname almost everyone still calls her.
Maryette welcomes herself into the house and begins to look around the living room and kitchen.
Maryette: Where’s my sister?
Milo: She went to your mom’s place with the boys; are you sure you’re okay?
Maryette is pacing back and forth in the living room, whispering “fuck” repeatedly in a panic. Milo has no idea what’s happening.
Milo: Moose… hey, Moose…
Maryette: *to herself* Fuck, fuck, fuck…
Milo: *shouts* Maryette!
She stops pacing in the living room and looks at Milo in a shock. He grabs his hoodie from the bar stool in the kitchen and puts it on.
Milo: If you need to see Jennifer, she’s at your mom’s place.
Maryette: Are you insane?!
Milo raises his eyebrows in confusion.
Milo: I’m… sorry?
Maryette takes a deep breath in and sits on the sofa.
Maryette: I can’t go home until I know.
Milo: Until you know what?
Maryette gets up from the sofa and holds her head in distress.
Maryette: My mother is going to kill me if this shit happens!
Milo: *annoyed* Moose, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s going on.
Maryette walks towards her purse and pulls out the item wrapped in a plastic bag. She throws it at Milo, and he catches it.
Maryette: Do you know when she’s coming home?
Milo unravels what’s in the bag: it’s a pregnancy test. He looks back up at Maryette.
Milo: She’s- she’s not going to be home until later tonight, I- are you pregnant?
Maryette: *lifts her arms up* That’s what I need to find out, Sherlock.
Milo gives the bag and item back to Maryette; he’s visibly uncomfortable with the situation.
Milo: Listen, Moose, I think this is something that you should wait for Pep to come home and… uh, help you… with?
Maryette: That could be hours from now! I have to do this now, but I’m just too fucking scared to do so!
Milo: Okay, okay, just- calm down. Panicking isn’t going to make the situation any easier.
Maryette begins to take deep breaths continuously.
Maryette: *inhales* Oh god I’m gonna be sick.
Milo: *reassuring* It’s not the end of the world, Moose, just calm down. Just breathe.
Milo coaches Maryette in some breathing exercises, which ultimately helps Maryette calm down.
Milo: Now, let’s rewind for a bit; why aren’t you at Dennis’s place doing this with him?
Maryette: Matt lives with him? Duh?
Milo: And?
Maryette: And if I just show up with a damn pregnancy test in my hand and pee on it, he’s gonna tell his mom, who happens to be my Aunt Gabby, who happens to be my mom’s sister. I know Pep won’t tell anyone about this.
Milo crosses his arms on his chest; he’s a little concerned.
Milo: Listen, I know I’m not the first person you’d want to experience this moment with, but I’m here if you need some support… of course, from the outside in the living room…
Maryette walks back to the coach still scared and worried. Milo sits in the lounge chair next to her.
Milo: If anything, I know how to handle the situation in a calm matter.
Maryette raises an eyebrow.
Maryette: Pep said you started crying happy tears and ran around the house like a kid in a candy store.
Milo: *flustered* I mean, sure, but that’s not my point, Moose. I’m just trying to say I’ve been through this twice, so if you panic, I won’t.
Maryette takes in a deep breath and looks at the bag in her hand.
Milo: I know I’m not Pep, but if it makes you feel better, you’ve always been like family to me. In some sort of twisted way, you were always like a little sister to me.
Maryette: … That’s sorta weird considering you’re married to my sister.
Milo awkwardly gets off of the sofa and points to the bathroom.
Milo: Just take the test, Moose.
Maryette sighs and walks towards the bathroom door. Milo remembers the night he and Jennifer found out about the pregnancy of their second son, Micah. Maryette’s right; Milo did dance around happily in the apartment, and he’s glad that Jennifer didn’t mention the part to Maryette on how he jumped up on the sofa, and somewhat mistakenly went into a split. He never thought his third time experiencing this would be with his sister-in-law without her boyfriend present. While he waits for Maryette to come out of the bathroom, he goes into the cabinet where the liquor is and pours himself a shot; he needs it.
After taking the shot, Maryette walks out of the bathroom slowly with the test in her hand. She doesn’t say anything.
Milo: So? What happened?
Maryette: It’s- it’s positive.
Milo takes in a deep breath and looks at Maryette.
Milo: You know what you have to do next, kid. Here…
Milo takes a paper towel in his hands and Maryette puts the test on it to wrap it up. They both look at the front door when they hear keys jingling in the lock. They both panic, and Milo takes the test and throws it towards his bedroom just to get it out of sight.
Jennifer and the boys enter the apartment. Milo Jr. mindlessly walks past both his father and Maryette into his room, while Jennifer stands there with Micah in her arms.
Jennifer: Hey, babe… *looks at her sister* What are you doing here, Moose?
Maryette: *nervously* I thought you were here, but Milo said you were at Mom’s place.
Milo: I thought you were staying for dinner there, Pep.
Jennifer walks into Micah’s room to set him down in the crib.
Jennifer: The baby got sick, so I wanted to get him home to rest.
She closes Micah’s bedroom door and walks into the kitchen to wash her hands. Milo and Maryette are mindlessly walking around the apartment. Jennifer notices.
Jennifer: Are you guys okay? You’re acting really weird.
Maryette: *coughs* I was just going to leave and head to Dennis’s place. It was nice seeing you guys!
While Jennifer bends down to grab the towel she dropped on the kitchen floor, Maryette mouthes “Get the test” towards Milo.
Jennifer: Alright Moose, tell him we said hi.
She gets back up and stares at Maryette, who is still standing near the front door. After an awkward silence, she opens the door and walks out of the house.
Jennifer: *sighs* I’m just going to hop into the shower before Micah wakes up from his nap, I think he has a little tummyache.
Milo: It’s alright, take your time, babe.
Jennifer walks towards the bedroom and Milo slowly realizes that she is, he runs towards the bedroom floor, calling out Jennifer’s name, and opens the door to see her standing there with something in her hand.
Jennifer: Care to explain why I found a pregnancy test on the floor of our bedroom, Milo?
Milo: *nervously laughs* Pep, you’re gonna laugh when you hear this…
Jennifer doesn’t budge and Milo awkwardly laughs. Milo has a lot of explaining to do…
— The End —
Letters From Liz. 